Every now and then, a new sport comes along that seems to sweep through the sporting world like a wildfire. Although you would be hard-pushed to describe Padel as a ‘new’ sport, given the fact that it has been played in some form since 1969, it is one that has only really begun to take off across the United Kingdom over the past couple of years. The bad news for Guildford residents is that it isn’t a sport that is likely to be played there any time soon, with the Guildford Borough Council rejecting planning applications for courts.
What Is Padel?
If you don’t know what Padel is, then you’re unlikely to be on your own. It is believed that it was created as a sport by Enrique Corcuera in Acapulco, Mexico, in 1969 when he adapted his tennis court to incorporate some of the elements of a sport known as platform tennis. The walls and the surface of the original court were concrete, meaning that spectators were unable to watch matches being played, so over time, they were adapted to become glass, with artificial turf replacing the concrete on the floor of the court.
For decades, Padel remained a niche sport only known by a few, but when the world health crisis struck in 2019, it became more popular. That was owing to the fact that it didn’t involve any physical contact and could be played outdoors. By 2023, it was included in the European Games, whilst the International Padel Federation is hoping to have 75 national federations in the future in order to allow it to become an Olympic sport in time for the 2032 Summer Olympics. Part of its appeal is the small size of the court, with three able to fit into the size of a tennis court.
The most common version of the game is played as a Doubles format, with serves being hit underarm below waist level. The balls are similar to tennis balls, only slightly smaller, whilst the rackets are made without strings. The scoring system is the same as in tennis, albeit with the major exception of the Golden Point that was introduced by the World Padel Tour in 2020 for its main tournaments. As with squash, the ball can hit a wall and still be considered to be ‘live’, which can make for long rallies and exciting games.
The Guildford Court Applications
With the excitement of Padel seeing the game take on global appeal, there have been numerous applications to have courts built around the United Kingdom. Two such applications were made in Surrey that would’ve seen four Padel courts built for the area. There were more than 400 letters of support sent in alongside the applications, with 74 objections made alongside them. Planning officers recommended to the Guildford Borough Council that both of the plans should be refused, citing a ‘detrimental visual impact on the character of the area’.
Other concerns made by the planning officers were that the ‘openness of the Green Belt’ would likely be harmed if the planning applications were given the go-ahead. Developments can be built on the Green Belt in ‘exceptional circumstances’, but these conditions were not met in the eyes of the planning officers. Although those in support of the Padel courts believed that that would be a ‘much-welcomed sports facility for the community, with some having to drive out of the area to play the game at present, the applications were indeed rejected.
A Noisy Sport
Although the Green Belt was doubtless at the top of the list of concerns for the planning officers when they recommended that the Guildford Borough Council turn down the applications, another one of the big concerns put forward by those that objected was the fact that Padel is quite a noisy sport. The mixture between tennis and squash is often played on an enclosed court, which means that the acoustics will often result in noise travelling further than in a sport such as tennis or from five-a-side football pitches.
Paris Councillor Bridget Carter-Manning said, “The level of noise is above and beyond any level of sport”. Estimates vary that the sound of the Padel ball rebounding off one of the court’s surfaces is at least twice as loud as a shot being played in tennis, which resulted in noise complaints being made to both Brighton & Hove Albion Council and Enfield Council, seeing noise restrictions put in place in both locations. One resident said, “Padel is noisy and excited players can’t be expected to play in silence”, noting that the local village would be disturbed by the noise.
A Desire to ‘Do Good in the Community’
The person behind the application, Wade Disley, said that he had been trying to get Padel courts built for two years in the hope of being able to ‘do good in the community’, as well as to bring Padel to more people. He said, “Are you going to support the local community and the growth of a new sport, the impact on climate change, and are you going to improve road safety with my applications?” Disley also admitted that it was ‘inevitable’ that the courts would have to be built on Green Belt land, given that Guildford is mostly Green Belt.
One of the big concerns from some included the fact that floodlights would be installed to allow people to play in the winter and into the evening, remaining on until 10pm. One of the natural repercussions of that would be that sunsets and views in the area would be ‘permanently disturbed’. The land where the courts could be built, with one application looking to see four uncovered Padel courts built and the other for two covered and two uncovered courts, would be in the Milford area, which is currently being used for football goalposts.